Quercus Iyrata xe2x80x98QLFTBxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Quercus Iyrata, Overcup Oak, which has been given the varietal name xe2x80x98QLFTB.xe2x80x99 I discovered my new tree in 1996 as a chance seedling of unknown parentage growing in a cultivated area in Statesboro, Ga.
The seeds were collected from a single tree in Athens, Ga. The seeds were collected in the fall of 1991 and planted into seedbeds in late winter of 1992. In the spring of 1993, bare-root liners were transplanted to a nursery field. In January of 1998, my new tree was moved to an observation site in Oconee County, Ga., where it has remained since that time. It is now about eight and one half years old from a seed.
As I observed the initially discovered tree of my new variety, the uniqueness of this tree became apparent because of a dense, upright, uniform branching habit, yellow-orange-red fall color, and fast growth rate as compared to a typical seedling. It was observed that my new tree grew approximately 30% faster than most of the other Overcup Oak Trees in the field that were planted from the same seed source. These characteristics distinguish my new tree from other typical Overcup Oaks known to me.
In 1996, this new tree was successfully propagated by vegetative cuttings at my direction, and the progeny have thus far proven to retain the dense, upright, uniform branching habit, fall color, and fast growth rate of the initially discovered tree even as smaller plants. Asexual reproduction of my new plant has taken place in Bulloch County, Ga.
I observed this tree of my new variety for a period of time and believe it is particularly useful as a street tree and for use on commercial sites where growing conditions are difficult, particularly areas that may be wet for a portion having the year. My new oak tree can also be used on golf courses, parks, and other areas where a tree having these characteristics is needed. Its fast growth rate offers growers an accelerated finished product over a typical seedling, allowing for a quicker crop rotation.
Cultivated Overcup Oak trees, insofar as I am aware, are represented in the industry solely by seedling material. Although Overcup Oak trees are more consistent from seed than many other oaks, there is still a degree of variance in both the landscape and in nurseries. Seedling Overcup Oak trees can be variable in growth rate, habit, and fall color. My new tree has a dense, upright, uniform branching habit, better fall color, and a faster growth rate in comparison to other varieties of Overcup Oak trees of which I am aware.
Overcup Oak trees in youth are typically pyramidal-oval and oval-rounded to rounded in habit at maturity. On average these tree reach 40xe2x80x2 to 60xe2x80x2 high and wide. However, the national champion is 156xe2x80x2 tall by 120xe2x80x2 wide. Overcup Oak trees are native to bottomlands where it is found in sloughs and backwater areas from New Jersey to Florida, west to Missouri and Texas. Overcup Oak trees perform best in acid soils, and do well in the heat, drought, and humidity of the Southeast. These trees also do well in the lower temperatures and high precipitation of the East and Mid-Atlantic as well as the more arid Midwest. Overcup Oak trees are known to be hardy in USDA Zones 5-9. Overcup Oak trees are relatively easy to transplant because of a superior root system compared to other oaks.
My new variety has been asexually propagated by vegetative cuttings at my direction. This propagation and observation of the resulting progeny have proven the unique combination of characteristics of my new variety to be firmly fixed and reproduce true to type. Furthermore, these observations have confirmed that my new variety represents a new and improved variety of Overcup Oak tree as particularly evidenced by the dense, upright uniform branching habit, fall color, and fast growth rate and which can reliably be asexually propagated using vegetative propagation techniques.
The accompanying photographs depict the color of the tree and foliage of my new variety as nearly as is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character.